Janet Mills and Chellie Pingree endorse Kamala Harris for president

Two prominent Maine Democrats are throwing their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris as their party’s next presidential nominee.

That comes after President Joe Biden surprised the nation on Sunday when he announced he would not seek reelection. He is the first incumbent presidential candidate to not seek a second term since 1968 when Democrat Lyndon Johnson said he wouldn’t seek or accept his party’s nomination as public opinion turned against the Vietnam War.

In making that decision, Biden has endorsed Harris to take his place on the November ballot.

While uncertainty remains over who will lead Democrats in the waning weeks of the election, Gov. Janet Mills has pledged “to doing everything I can to elect Vice President Kamala Harris, a friend and former colleague as Attorney General and a fighter for our people, as our next president.”

On Monday morning, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine’s 1st District called Harris a “proven leader” and “the most qualified” to take over for Biden.

“I pledge my full support to ensure Vice President Harris’ victory in November and am eager to work with her to keep Donald Trump and J.D. Vance out of the White House,” Pingree said in a statement.

The Democratic National Committee has promised an “orderly process” to nominate a replacement for Biden. Harris is looking to lock up the nomination after receiving Biden’s blessing on Sunday.

His withdrawal from the race was met with relief among some within the Democratic Party after Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June raised questions about his ability to beat Republican Donald Trump and to serve another four years in the White House. In recent weeks, Biden saw high profile defections from his camp, with even Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi urging him to reconsider running.

For some observers, putting Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket could offer a chance to reset the race against Trump.